For 30 minutes every school day, students at Polk County Early College step into a smaller community within their school.
They meet with a house mentor, spend time with fellow students and have a regular opportunity to talk, celebrate successes, receive support and build relationships.
It is all part of a new House System at PCEC designed around a simple idea: Every student should have a place to belong and people at school who are invested in their success.
This year, every student and staff member belongs to one of four houses: Equestrian, Foothills, Overmountain or Trailblazers.
Inspired by the Ron Clark Academy model, the system divides the school into smaller groups that bring students and adults together across grade levels. While the houses compete, earn points and build their own identities, the larger purpose goes beyond school spirit.
Relationships and mentorship are at the center of the program.
The daily 30-minute mentor period gives those relationships time to develop rather than leaving connection to chance. Students have a consistent group within the school and trusted adults they can turn to for encouragement and support.
The structure also creates opportunities for students to develop leadership skills, celebrate one another’s accomplishments and connect with classmates they might not otherwise get to know.
Every other week, the houses shift from daily mentor time to a different kind of connection.
House Challenges bring Equestrian, Foothills, Overmountain and Trailblazers together for friendly competition, teamwork and school spirit. Students can earn points for their houses while working together, cheering for one another and sometimes stepping outside their comfort zones.
Those activities are intended to strengthen relationships not only within individual houses, but throughout the Early College.
Over time, the goal is for the House System to become less of a program students participate in and more a part of how the school community functions.
By creating intentional time for mentorship, collaboration, leadership and fun, PCEC is working to make sure students know where they fit, whether they are an Equestrian, a member of Foothills, an Overmountain student or a Trailblazer.
Four houses, but one school community.
